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IPFS News Link • Homeland Security

States can't opt out of Secure Communities program

• LAtimes.com
 
Reporting from Washington— In an unusual move, the Obama administration has told governors they cannot exempt their states from the controversial Secure Communities program, which uses fingerprints collected by local and state police to help immigration authorities identify and deport tens of thousands of criminals each year. The Department of Homeland Security notified 39 governors Friday that the fingerprint-sharing program did not need their approval to operate in their states, and said it had voided agreements they had signed to authorize their states' participation, according to a copy of the letter. "This change will have no effect on the operation of Secure Communities in your state," read the letter, which was signed by John Morton, director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Governors in the other 11 states had not signed agreements. The action was immediately denounced by some political leaders, immigration advocacy groups, and other opponents of the program.

4 Comments in Response to

Comment by David Jackson
Entered on:

   Maybe someone should remind Commissar Obama about "States Rights". At some point in whatever is left of Constitutionality in the U.S., some one really ought to make a stand.

   Obviously, any "rights" are less than tolerable to autocrats and social elitists, but they are still lofty notions to those of us who actually believe in personal freedom and autonomy, rights, liberties, individual privacy, and self-determination. (Remember this, above all else: Any time the government (its shills) utter "rights", they are actually making reference to some liberty that they are co-opting and about to "sell" back to us as a "right". There are true right - human, as it were, but they have been marginalized or, in reality, pretty much abolished.)

   The government produces nothing but subjugative control(s), wasted time, money, and life, and repressive angst, turmoil, and suffering. There isn't a social, cultural, economic, educational, or life threatening problem or concernon earth that isn't a direct result of the incompetence and self-serving perfidity of the dilattantes who pass themselves off as "public servants"!

 

Comment by Checkpoint USA
Entered on:

Of course the states can opt out of this program. All they need to do is pass a law that prohibits law enforcement agencies within the state from sharing fingerprint information with the FBI or any other federal agency. Problem solved.

 

We already know from Sheriff Mack's lawsuit against the Brady Bill years ago that the feds can't force state employees to enforce a federal regulatory scheme. This program is no different.

Comment by PureTrust
Entered on:

States may not be able to opt out, but they can't enforce it above the authority of the county sheriff. So, it is the sheriffs' duties to eliminate the program from all law enforcement in their respective counties.

Comment by Matt Sch
Entered on:

article is stupid, and so is Obama. The House and Senate voted on this in 2006 to take effect by 2012. All states approved of this so there is no breach of the 10th amendment here. 



www.universityofreason.com/a/29887/KWADzukm